Microsoft has hired Google’s DeepMind co-founder as the new CEO of its new artificial intelligence (AI) division.
DeepMind’s Mustafa Suleyman disclosed that he joined the cloud tech firm as he handled a team for the company’s AI products, such as Copilot, Bing, and Edge.
Suleyman is set to become the executive vice president of Microsoft AI and join the senior leadership group, reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella.
Moreover, he also played a pivotal role in establishing the AI lab DeepMind in 2010, which was subsequently acquired by Google in 2014, bringing his expertise and experience to this new position.
While DeepMind continues to be a pioneering force in AI within Google, Suleyman has been separated from the division for several years.
However, according to reports, Suleyman was placed on leave in 2019 due to controversy surrounding some of the projects he led.
Furthermore, later reports disclosed that Google and DeepMind initiated an investigation into complaints alleging that he had engaged in bullying behavior toward staff.
After departing from DeepMind, Suleyman was appointed by Google as vice president, overseeing AI product management and AI policy. However, he left the firm in 2022 to co-establish the startup Inflection AI.
Nadela Projects Sulayman’s Impact on Microsoft
In a Microsoft memo, Nadella expressed optimism about creating groundbreaking, inclusive AI technology that aligns with their mission for global accessibility and responsibility.
Moreover, the CEO noted his longstanding admiration for Sulayman, citing his roles as a founder of DeepMind and Inflection, and praised his visionary leadership and team-building skills.
Meanwhile, despite forming a new AI team, Microsoft remains committed to its partnerships. The tech giant has invested heavily in collaborations with OpenAI and recently finalized a deal with AI startup Mistral.
The cloud tech firm has committed to advancing AI infrastructure, including custom systems and silicon work, in alignment with OpenAI’s foundation model roadmap and developing products based on these models.
